From:Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, introducedRéaltbhuíonta | Constellations, a concert curated by the Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris to a captivated audience at Flagey in Brussels last night.

Réaltbhuíontais one of three flagship projects commissioned by Culture Ireland, as part ofCultúr 2026, the culture programme to mark Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026.

The concert featured leading figures in contemporary Irish traditional music and jazz, including Aoife Ní Bhriain, Cormac McCarthy, Sam Comerford, Macdara Ó Faoláin, and Cormac Begley, alongside internationally acclaimed artists Niwel Tsumbu, Francesco Turrisi, and Rhiannon Giddens. Percussive dancers Sibéal Davitt and Stephanie Keane and spoken word artist Ciara Ní É formed part of the ensemble.

Two new commissions in Brussels herald the start ofCultúr 2026in the heart of Europe, including an exhibition calledcuimhne agus séadchomhartha (memory and monument), by Irish artist Richard Malone at the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels, which opened this afternoon.

Malone is presenting his ambitious site-specific installation alongside a curated selection of contemporary visual art, craft, and photography across the Justus Lipsius Atrium, the Europa Building, and adjoining corridors and rooms, showcasing a range of artists, makers and creatives from Ireland.

Speaking today, Minister Patrick O’Donovan said:

“I was very proud to attend Réaltbhuíonta last night. What an amazing night to be Irish. Cultúr 2026, our Culture Programme, represents the spirit and dynamism of contemporary Irish culture today and the artists performing in last night’s concert, and Richard Malone’s wonderful exhibition opening today, exemplify this.

It is wonderful to present artists of this calibre and for audiences in Brussels to have the opportunity to enjoy traditional music in its most vital form, as a live experience – alongside dance, performance and the spoken word. I wish to thank the artists for their contributions, and to extend my thanks also to Nora Hickey M'Sichili and her team at Centre Culturel Irlandais, for their dedication in realising this ambitious event.”

The Presidency offers a unique opportunity to showcase the best of Irish arts and culture. With these events taking place across Brussels and more events taking place in every EU member state, the programme will ensure that our European neighbours can join us in celebrating the remarkable wealth of artistic talent in Ireland today.

“I also wish to thank Richard and his team for their ambition and dedication in realising this exciting new installation and to the team at the Justus Lipsius for their support in delivering this important project. Ireland is rightly celebrated for its incredible cultural heritage, with a long tradition of outstanding writers, musicians and artists that continue to inspire us today.”

· Culture Ireland is responsible for promoting Irish arts worldwide and ensuring that Ireland’s cultural excellence can be enjoyed by international audiences.

·Cultúr2026: Sharing Ireland’s Cultureis Ireland’s culture programme for its Presidency of the Council of the European Union, running from 1 July to 31 December 2026.

· Launched in June 2026 by Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD,Cultúr 2026will provide €5m in supports to Irish artists and arts organisations, with 400+ projects supported. The programme takes place in all 26 counties and across all 27 EU member states.

·Cultúr 2026is complemented by a cultural relations programme of events presented by Ireland’s Embassy and Consulate network across Europe and beyond. The combined cultural programmes represent a €6.5m investment in Irish arts and culture.

·Réaltbhuíonta | Constellationsfeatures leading figures in contemporary Irish traditional music and jazz, including Aoife Ní Bhriain, Cormac McCarthy, Sam Comerford, Macdara Ó Faoláin, and Cormac Begley, alongside internationally acclaimed artists such as Niwel Tsumbu, Francesco Turrisi, and Rhiannon Giddens. Percussive dancers Sibéal Davitt and Stephanie Keane bring rhythm into physical form, while spoken word artist Ciara Ní É introduces the Irish language as texture, pulse, and narrative.

· The Brussels concert forms part of a wider opening sequence that began in Dublin, where the Presidency was formally launched, and ends in Luxembourg.

· Malone is an award-winning artist from the southeast of Ireland, his work which encompasses sculpture, installation and performance, emphasises the importance of craftsmanship through textiles, weaving, stitching or metalwork. This installation is a celebration of labour, often that which is passed down through generations and outside of formal education.

· Malone’s work has been celebrated internationally and is in some of the world’s most respected institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York; The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), New York; the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), London; the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Melbourne; the Arts Council of Ireland’s Permanent Collection; and the Central Saint Martins Museum and Study Collection.

· The Belgium programme was developed by Culture Ireland on behalf of the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport in partnership with the Embassy of Ireland in Belgium, Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the European Union, Bozar, Literature Ireland, Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris, the Brussels Chamber Ensemble, and the many artists, producers and cultural organisations whose work collectively forms the programme.

· Further information on the programme can be found athttps://www.irelandculture2026.eu/